THE QUESTION

Doubting me greatly she hung up. I knew that this would be a hard question to ask and answer the folks. But, I didn't want jackie to get hurt anymore. I was sick of it. She's a great person. My best friend.

I knew dinner was the time to ask the folks the question. Everyone would be at the wooden table eating there chicken and rice. When the time finally came, I didn't feel hungry anymore. I quickly sat down, and watched slowly for any signs that tonight was not the night to ask this. Trust me, you can tell.. .All clear.

"ma,dad, I have a question," I say sturnly looking up from my rice."Ya?" My dad asks. Could he handle this, I thought?"Well, Jackie's mom died today." I say sadly."Oh, poor thing, is she alright?" My mother asks worried. "I guess. She might have to live with her aunt," looking down."The mental one? She could hurt jackie!" my mother belows. Apparently this conversation was between my ma and i now."I know, and she has already. It isn't safe for jackie. . ."trailing off,"So I was wondering if you and dad could become her legal guardians?" I ask. I didnt know what they would say. My dad jumps in,"Your ma and I will talk about it tonight. Let ya know in the morn'n.""Thanks guys, I'm gonna start packing some more. Love you." I say leaving the table. My ma always cleared the table. I knew the process of becoming jackies "ma" and "dad" wasnt going to be the simlpest thing to do. Or so, I thought.

I scrambled around my room. my closet was all packed into boxes. My desk and dresser had been loaded in the moving truck to head down to the new house. All I had in my room was my tv, nightstand, and my bed and one loose wire plugged into the outlet. It was so plain looking.

I haven't even told Jackie about moving. If I was moving she was to. That was the deal with my consience and I. I hoped that Jackie would be alright with the rest of the week with her aunt. Her aunt was a crazy woman. She always wears her hair in this messy bun. A white t-shirt and jeans completes her wardrobe. Then a pair of sneakers probably more then 15 years old. That wasn't what was crazy though. She had this mental problem. She flips out, and would threaten to kill. She plays this act in front of people that would make you think she is the nicest person you could meet. It was all hard to comprehend.

The alarm clock begins to beep, making my brain alert. I slap the alarm down and slowly rub my eyes. It would be my last riding lesson with my trainer. She was great at riding and teaching her students. I was deffinately going to miss her. Jackie and I always had our group lesson. Which I enjoyed a lot, even though we barely got to talk to eachother during the one hour period. "Come on Abbs!" my ma yells from the bottom of the stairs. I roll my eyes. Man, I hated having to get up at seven in the morning. I quickly slouched my way to the full body mirror. My dirty blonde hair was in a messy pony tail. My black t-shirt hung a little bit lower then my waist and then there is the pair of old gray sweat pants. I grab the small box that I left some clothes in. Including my riding pants and shrugged out of them. Sliding my riding pants on. It was going to be a rought day, I thought.

After eating a bagel I quickly hopped in the car. The ride was seeming to go by faster today. Probably because I was dreading having to tell Jackie about the whole moving situation. I already began to hear the crackling of rocks under the pick-up trucks tires heading towards the barn. Jackie was already there with cookie. The trainer's horse. All the horses were the trainers. Not really much to explain there. Trainer's barn, Trainer's horse. Easy as that.

When we were all ready to tack. There was no trainer to be found. We entered the arena anyway waiting and waiting. "Ma, can you see if Deb is out there?" I ask. My ma nods and exits the arena. My ma was helpful like that. A few minutes later she returns, looking towards my direction."Hun, she's sick. She says to do walk,trot,canter, and just work the horses," My ma says confused for some reason. "Not a problem," Deb has done a lot for us in the past. It is the least I could do.

About a half our into our ride I realized I still needed to tell jackie."Jackie," I say breaking the silence. My voice echoes through the arena."Ya?" She asks." We are moving in a week," I sort of just through it out there."Oh. . . so your leaving me?" She asks haulting the horse. I was about to speak but then I heard a cough from ma in the corner."No jackie." My ma was very serious. Jackie tilted her head, confused."Jackie, I got through all the papers, your aunt, everything in the book last night. Your mom got a call that Your Dad took care of it all. Surprisingly, it's possible to make it all happen over night and into the morning," taking a breathe."What are you talking about? My parents? The papers?" She wasn't getting it, I was already smiling." Stephen and I are now your parents. We love you jackie just like how we love Meg, and Abbie," She says smiling."So, Meg and abbie are my sisters? Oh, and you two are my parents?" She asks still sorting it out. I have to admit. It is a lot to take in. She was off the horse now almost five feet away from my ma."Yes, to all of your questions," my ma smiling."Thanks," She hugs my ma so tight, I thought I saw my ma turning green. I couldn't tell though, I mean the lighting in here isnt the best. I come by her side, and she quickly loosens her left arm from my ma and tightens it around me. I, barely breathing get to through out, "Jackie, we love you."

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